Question

Please help me understand this one quote from a book.

Answer 1

It's from a literary critique book for A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.

“Even though Hank realizes that it will take a violent revolution, not a series of gradual reforms, to overturn the institution of chivalry, be nevertheless distances himself from that possibility. “What this folk needed, then, was a Reign of Terror and a guillotine, amid I was the wrong man for them"(Twain 183). His intentions for changes are subtler and more peaceful nature, yet at the same time they betray a design for domination that runs counter to the democratic rhetoric he easily espouses. This exposure becomes apparent as soon as Hank enters the kingdom. Being "a practical Connecticut man," he takes account of his predicament and sets his goals accordingly:

‘I made up my mind for two things: if it was still the nineteenth century
and I was among lunatics and couldn't get away, I would presently boss
that asylum or know the reason why; and if on the other hand it was
really the sixth century, all right, I didn't want any softer thing: I would
boss the whole country inside of tire months, (17)’”